The Ravens won’t trim their roster to 53 players for nearly four more months, but the draft and rookie free-agent signings offer a much better idea of what John Harbaugh and his coaching staff have to work with for the 2019 season.

This exercise will carry more meaning as we advance into the preseason, but my all-too-early look at the roster is based more on track record, contract status, draft standing, and positional need than anticipating improvement or regression from any given player. We’ll get a much better idea of where players stand beginning with the snap distribution during organized team activities later this month.

In other words, don’t read too much into who might be deemed a bubble player now as much will change before the Ravens even get to training camp in July. Not all bubble players are on equal footing, of course, with certain position groups lacking as much quality depth and others enjoying an abundance of talent and likely falling victim to the numbers game.

Though general manager Eric DeCosta, Harbaugh, and the rest of the staff and front office are cognizant of the numbers at each position, trying to arbitrarily pinpoint a certain number of tight ends or inside linebackers isn’t the most accurate way of projecting a roster. The Ravens always look for reserves who will excel on special teams, so coaches will look carefully at players’ other attributes in addition to what they bring to their individual position groups when filling out the back of the roster.

The numbers in parentheses indicate how many players are currently on the roster at that position. As we move deeper into the spring and summer, I’ll provide updated looks as well as projections of who’s in and who’s out at different stages of the preseason.

QUARTERBACKS (4)
IN: Lamar Jackson, Robert Griffin III
BUBBLE: Trace McSorley
LONG SHOT: Jalan McClendon Skinny: How the coaching staff uses McSorley and how he develops will determine whether Baltimore carries three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster for a second straight year and only the second time in the last decade. Comparisons to New Orleans’ Taysom Hill — who is much bigger — will continue.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS (7)
IN: Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill
BUBBLE: Kenneth Dixon, De’Lance Turner
LONG SHOT: Christopher Ezeala, Tyler ErvinSkinny: Suggesting someone who averaged 5.6 yards per carry last year could be on the bubble speaks to the great backfield depth. Dixon could also be a trade chip entering the final year of his contract, but a history of injuries and suspensions could prompt a tough decision. Don’t sleep on Turner either.

WIDE RECEIVERS (12)
IN: Willie Snead, Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, Chris Moore
BUBBLE: Seth Roberts, Jaleel Scott, Jordan Lasley
LONG SHOT: Quincy Adeboyejo, Sean Modster, Jaylen Smith, Antoine Wesley, Joe Horn Jr.Skinny: With Baltimore expected to again use multiple tight ends and run the ball so frequently, the brass won’t feel compelled to keep more than four or five receivers unless others prove deserving of a spot. This is a critical preseason for Scott and Lasley, who played zero snaps as rookies last year.

TIGHT ENDS (5)
IN: Nick Boyle, Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst
BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Cole Herdman, Charles ScarffSkinny: Offensive coordinator Greg Roman may prefer having another blocking tight end in the mix to replace Maxx Williams, but it’s premature to handicap the chances of these candidates. Keizer spent much of last year with the organization, giving him a slight experience edge over the two rookies.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (16)
IN: Marshal Yanda, Ronnie Stanley, Orlando Brown Jr., Matt Skura, Ben Powers, Bradley Bozeman
BUBBLE: James Hurst, Alex Lewis, Jermaine Eluemunor, Greg Senat
LONG SHOT: Randin Crecelius, R.J. Prince, Patrick Mekari, Marcus Applefield, Darrell Williams, Patrick Vahe Skinny: Bozeman’s ability to play center makes him a safe bet while Hurst’s $4.75 million cap number and injury-riddled 2018 leave his status in at least some question until he proves his back problems are behind him. Time could be running out for Lewis, who just hasn’t been able to stay on the field.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (9)
IN: Brandon Williams, Michael Pierce, Willie Henry, Chris Wormley, Daylon Mack
BUBBLE: Zach Sieler, Gerald Willis, Patrick Ricard
LONG SHOT: Kalil Morris Skinny: This is a tough group to handicap after the duo of Williams and Pierce, but Henry is the best interior rusher on the roster despite missing most of 2018. Sieler is a good bet to make it as a 5-technique end, but the talented Willis could be the wild card after surprisingly going undrafted.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS (8)
IN: Patrick Onwuasor, Kenny Young, Chris Board
BUBBLE: Matthew Thomas, Alvin Jones, Otaro Alaka, E.J. Ejiya, Silas Stewart
LONG SHOT: noneSkinny: Board leading the team in special-teams tackles as a rookie leaves him safe at this point. The competition for a potential roster spot behind him is wide open, however, with Thomas, a former Pittsburgh Steeler, headlining a group lacking experience. They’re listed as bubble players by default.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (7)
IN: Matt Judon, Jaylon Ferguson, Tyus Bowser
BUBBLE: Tim Williams
LONG SHOT: Aaron Adeoye, Markus Jones, Michael Onuoha Skinny: Contributions on special teams and the shortage of strong-side or “Sam” backers give Bowser a clear edge over Williams, who appeared in only seven games in 2018 and was a healthy scratch by season’s end. There should be opportunities for the long shots to try to put themselves on the radar.

CORNERBACKS (11)
IN: Jimmy Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Carr, Tavon Young, Justin Bethel, Anthony Averett, Iman Marshall
BUBBLE: Cyrus Jones, Maurice Canady
LONG SHOT: Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Terrell Bonds Skinny: There isn’t a deeper group of corners in the NFL, leaving the Ravens with a good problem trying to decide which ones to keep. Jones returning kickoffs in addition to punts would cement his spot — he only did the latter last year — while the oft-injured Canady is in the final year of his rookie deal.

SAFETIES (6)
IN: Earl Thomas, Tony Jefferson, Chuck Clark, Anthony Levine
BUBBLE: DeShon Elliott
LONG SHOT: Bennett JacksonSkinny: Elliott is the one to watch in this group as he showed promise before breaking his forearm in the preseason last year and could potentially push Clark for some playing time in sub packages. Levine’s positional versatility remains an invaluable part of Wink Martindale’s defense.

SPECIALISTS (5)
IN: Justin Tucker, Sam Koch, Morgan Cox
BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Kaare Vedvik, Matthew Orzech Skinny: The Ravens will hope Vedvik kicks the football like he did last summer to improve his trade value at the end of the preseason. Beyond that, there’s little to see here.

The Ravens returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, but where did their players stack up across the NFL in 2018?

Whether it’s discussing the Pro Bowl or determining postseason awards, media and fans spend much time debating where players rank at each position, but few watch every player on every team extensively enough to form any type of an authoritative opinion.

Truthfully, how many times did you watch the offensive line of the Detroit Lions this season? What about the Oakland Raiders linebackers or the San Francisco 49ers cornerbacks?

That’s why I appreciate the grading efforts of Pro Football Focus while acknowledging these rankings shouldn’t be viewed as infallible or the gospel of evaluation. I can respect the exhaustive effort to grade players across the league when most of us watch only one team or one division on any kind of a consistent basis.

Below is a look at where Ravens cornerbacks ranked at their positions followed by the positional outlook going into 2019:

Brandon Carr2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 876PFF ranking: 35th among cornerbacks Skinny: The 32-year-old played and started in every game for the 11th straight year and was one of the most reliable performers on a top-ranked defense, finishing with 45 tackles and two interceptions. He also filled in effectively in the slot, making him more valuable at a $7 million salary cap figure for 2019.

Marlon Humphrey2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 718PFF ranking: 11th among cornerbacks Skinny: Humphrey emerged as one of Baltimore’s best players in his second season and appears on the cusp of becoming a Pro Bowl cornerback. Per PFF, his 52.5-percent catch rate allowed was the seventh best in the league while his 22.5-percent forced incompletion rate ranked third best.

Jimmy Smith2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 611PFF ranking: 81st among cornerbacks Skinny: Returning from a torn Achilles tendon and a four-game suspension to begin 2018, Smith struggled for much of the season before playing better down the stretch. A $15.85 million cap figure and $9.5 million salary for 2019 make it very possible the veteran has played his final game for Baltimore.

Tavon Young2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 602PFF ranking: 75th among cornerbacks Skinny: A sports hernia hindered him late in the year, but the slot corner played better than his PFF grade indicates, especially after missing the 2017 season with a knee injury. Young is entering the final year of his rookie contract and plays bigger and tougher than his 5-foot-9, 185-pound frame suggests.

Anthony Averett2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 71PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: The fourth-round rookie from Alabama missed five games with a hamstring injury, but he showed promise when he filled in for an injured Humphrey against Kansas City in Week 14. Optimism about his talent and development could make it easier to move on from Smith this offseason.

Maurice Canady2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 10PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: After emerging as a solid slot cornerback in the second half of 2017, Canady sustained a hamstring injury in the season opener and missed nine games. He returned in late November to contribute on special teams, but injuries have prevented him from consistently staying on the field.

Cyrus Jones2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 5PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: The former Gilman standout is unlikely to fit into Baltimore’s defensive plans, but he offered a major lift as a punt returner, averaging 14.4 yards per attempt and returning one for a touchdown in Week 12. The ball security that doomed him in New England wasn’t a big issue this season.

2019 positional outlook

After enduring depth problems at cornerback for a few years, the Ravens have done a commendable job assembling a strong collection over the last couple offseasons, leaving them in solid position moving forward. Deciding what to do with Smith and his untenable cap number is the first item of business, but the veteran corner still has strong support within the organization, leaving open the possibility of working out a pay cut with incentives or even a modest short-term extension to lower his 2019 cap number. Some have speculated about Carr’s future in the same light, but his 2018 performance, superior durability, and cheaper cap number make him the better investment for the upcoming season. The Ravens have taken a cornerback with no lower than a fourth-round pick in four consecutive drafts, a streak I expect to continue if Smith is indeed released or traded in the coming weeks.

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BALTIMORE — The Ravens will have a new starting running back for Sunday’s matchup with the Oakland Raiders.

Despite practicing fully on Friday and initially being expected to play with a lingering foot injury, Alex Collins was deactivated, paving the way for rookie Gus Edwards to make his first NFL start. Of course, the undrafted free agent starred in last week’s win over Cincinnati, surprisingly rushing for 115 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. That production led to a more complementary role for Collins, who ran for just 18 yards and a touchdown on seven carries against the Bengals.

Collins’ absence should also open the door for veteran Ty Montgomery to see more touches after the former Green Bay Packer touched the ball only once for five yards in his Ravens debut last week.

Baltimore will be without slot cornerback Tavon Young, who missed practice time this week with a groin injury. His absence coincides with the return of cornerback Maurice Canady, who spent much of last season as the nickel corner and hadn’t played since injuring his hamstring in the 2018 season opener. Canady was activated from injured reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Left guard Alex Lewis is active despite missing Friday’s practice with a shoulder injury and being listed as questionable on the final injury report. His availability is important with veteran offensive lineman James Hurst missing his fifth consecutive game with a back injury.

Rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson will make his second straight start as veteran starter Joe Flacco remains sidelined with a right hip injury. Flacco was officially ruled out on Friday, paving the way for Jackson to create a full-blown quarterback controversy in December with a strong showing against the Raiders.

Grant had won the preseason competition for the return specialist job over White and even broke off a 51-yard punt return in the opener against Buffalo, but he also fumbled a punt in each of the first two games. The Ravens lost neither fumble, but White had been receiving more return reps during practices this week, leaving one to wonder if a change was being pondered.

“Janarion understands the importance of hanging on to the ball,” special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg said on Thursday. “It’s the first and foremost thing of being a returner. It’s having the ball at the end of the play. He gets it; he’s working on it. We all understand it. The fact that his teammates have been there to rescue the situation doesn’t lessen the importance of hanging on to the ball.”

White also had problems with ball security this summer, losing a fumble in the preseason win at Indianapolis.

Daniel’s promotion to the 53-man roster stemmed from the hamstring injury suffered by rookie cornerback Anthony Averett late in the week. With Jimmy Smith serving two more games of a four-game suspension and Maurice Canady recently going to injured reserve, the Ravens found themselves with just four healthy cornerbacks on the roster: Brandon Carr, Marlon Humphrey, Tavon Young, and rookie free agent Darious Williams. Daniel has played in just one career NFL game, but he’s spent parts of the last three seasons with the Ravens, making him familiar with their defensive and special-teams playbooks.

Eluemunor had been a healthy scratch in each of the first two weeks as Baltimore elected to go with rookies Orlando Brown Jr. and Bradley Bozeman as the only active reserves. Waiving him signals that left tackle Ronnie Stanley’s injured right elbow isn’t a big concern as you’d expect the Ravens to carry an extra lineman if there were real doubt about his status.

The Ravens are unlikely to carry only seven offensive linemen on the 53-man roster for long, leading one to believe Eluemunor could be re-signed next week or at least added to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Grant would also be a logical candidate to be added to the practice squad.

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens’ run of good health through the spring and summer hasn’t continued into a critical early stretch of the season that includes four of the next six games on the road.

Three-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker C.J. Mosley may have avoided a serious left knee injury in the first quarter of Thursday’s loss at Cincinnati, but when he’ll return to action remains to be determined. No further clarity came Monday as the Ravens continue preparations to host Denver in Week 3.

“It’s just what was reported. It’s a bone bruise, and that’s good news,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “It wasn’t a structural issue, so we’ll just see how that thing comes along and keep our fingers crossed.”

Harbaugh confirmed veteran safety Eric Weddle will continue to relay calls in the defensive huddle in Mosley’s absence after taking over those responsibilities in the second half against the Bengals.

The re-signing of veteran Albert McClellan may offer a clue for Mosley’s Week 3 status as the only healthy inside linebackers on the 53-man roster had been second-year starter Patrick Onwuasor, 2018 fourth-round pick Kenny Young, and rookie free agent Chris Board. McClellan, 32, has made 23 career starts and has the ability to play all four linebacker positions in the Ravens defense, bringing more experience to the group.

“He knows everything we do. He gives us a lot on special teams as well,” Harbaugh said. “He can play middle linebacker. … I would say [he] kind of solidifies us in there a little bit having so many young players in the group.”

After the game, Stanley wouldn’t discuss what led to his departure or whether his status would be in question for Sunday’s game, only saying he was “fine” physically and deferring to Harbaugh for more details.

“We’ll just go with that. He said he’s fine, [so] he’s fine,” said Harbaugh as he smiled. “We’ll see. I don’t know, we’ll see. I think he’s OK. We’ll see.”

To make room for the returning McClellan on the 53-man roster, the Ravens placed backup cornerback Maurice Canady on injured reserve on Monday. Canady has been dealing with a hamstring injury since mid-August, but his versatility will be missed behind current starters Brandon Carr and Marlon Humphrey and nickel back Tavon Young. Top cornerback Jimmy Smith isn’t eligible to return from his four-game suspension for two more weeks, leaving the Ravens thin at a position that once enjoyed impressive depth.

Harbaugh confirmed Canady and running back Kenneth Dixon — who was placed on IR with a knee injury last week — are viable options to be designated for return later in the season. Both have to miss a minimum of eight weeks.

“If both those guys came back, those would be our two [designation] guys for the year,” said Harbaugh, citing the two-player limit to activate from IR. “I think it’s a wise choice by Ozzie [Newsome] and Eric [DeCosta] to make the move the way they did and just see how it plays out.”

Rookie tight end Hayden Hurst (foot) and third-year defensive tackle Willie Henry (hernia surgery) will not return to practice this week, meaning they will miss their third straight game to begin the season. At the time of Hurst’s injury, Harbaugh confirmed the NFL Network report suggesting Hurst could miss three to four weeks, but Friday will mark four weeks since a screw was inserted in his foot to aid in the healing of a stress fracture, making one wonder if the talented first-round pick will be ready to play at Pittsburgh in Week 4, a key AFC North encounter.

Rookie third-round pick Mark Andrews has stepped up after a quiet summer, catching six passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in two games.

“He’s kind of a gamer,” Harbaugh said. “He steps up and make plays, and that’s what we thought we had when we drafted him. He’s worked very hard in practice, and to see that show up in the games is good. He’s a pass catcher, but, I’ll tell you [he’s] a better run blocker than probably anybody thought. In the games, he kind of steps it up, so that’s a very big plus for us.”

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CINCINNATI — The Ravens look to begin a season 2-0 for the third straight year as they meet Cincinnati on Thursday Night Football.

There were no surprises on their inactives list after cornerback Maurice Canady (thigh), tight end Hayden Hurst (foot), and defensive tackle Willie Henry (hernia surgery) were already ruled out on Wednesday. For the second straight week, reserve quarterback Robert Griffin III is a healthy scratch, meaning rookie Lamar Jackson will be Joe Flacco’s only backup against the Bengals.

Rookie wide receiver and return specialist Janarion Grant is active and will play despite being listed as questionable to play with a hand injury. His ability to catch the ball will be something to monitor, especially early in the game.

A pair of rookie free agents will make their NFL debuts as cornerback Darious Williams and just-promoted running back De’Lance Turner are active. Williams is likely to serve in a special-teams capacity while Turner is now the No. 3 running back with Kenneth Dixon going on injured reserve on Wednesday.

The Bengals will be without starting middle linebacker Preston Brown, who is out with an ankle injury. Cincinnati is already dealing with the suspension of starting linebacker Vontaze Burfict, leaving its defensive vulnerable at the second level.

Thursday’s referee is Walt Anderson.

The Ravens have broken out a new uniform combination in prime time as they’ll wear purple pants with white jerseys for the first time in team history. These pants have a white and black side stripe and are similar to those introduced two years ago as part of the all-purple “Color Rush” uniforms. Cincinnati will wear black jerseys with white pants.

Thursday marks the 45th meeting in the all-time regular-season series with each team owning 22 wins and the Bengals having a 14-8 record in their home stadium. The Ravens have lost five of the last six played at Paul Brown Stadium, but they broke a five-game losing streak in Cincinnati last year with a 20-0 win in Week 1.

A disappointing start to Kenneth Dixon’s NFL career continued Wednesday with the Ravens placing the running back on injured reserve shortly after ruling him out for their Week 2 game in Cincinnati.

Appearing in his first regular-season game since the end of his rookie season, Dixon left late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over Buffalo with a knee injury and didn’t return. The 2016 fourth-round pick from Louisiana Tech missed the entire 2017 campaign after undergoing left knee surgery in July.

Dixon has appeared in just 13 career games because of multiple knee injuries and also served two drug-related suspensions while he was sidelined last season. He rushed for a game-high 44 yards on 13 carries and scored one of six Baltimore touchdowns against the Bills, but the 5-foot-10, 228-pound back missed a sizable portion of training camp with a hamstring injury, which prevented him from seriously challenging starter Alex Collins or top backup Buck Allen for more carries in the Ravens backfield.

It’s unclear just how long Dixon will be sidelined, but NFL Network reported earlier Wednesday that he was expected to miss “several” weeks. Dixon would be eligible to be designated to return later in the season after sitting out a minimum of eight weeks. Teams are allowed to bring back two players from IR over the course of the season and do not need to make the designation in advance.

To take Dixon’s place on the 53-man roster, the Ravens promoted undrafted rookie running back De’Lance Turner, who rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown in the preseason.

The Ravens will also be without one of their top reserve cornerbacks against the Bengals as Maurice Canady was declared out with what’s listed as a thigh injury. The third-year defensive back missed the final three preseason games with a hamstring injury, but he played in the season opener and was even on the field for the final play of the game, making it unclear when he might have suffered a setback.

Canady’s absence means rookie cornerback Darious Williams is likely to be active after being a healthy scratch in Week 1. Baltimore was already dealing with the suspension of top cornerback Jimmy Smith, so not having the versatile Canady will further test the depth behind current starters Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Carr and nickel corner Tavon Young.

Rookie return specialist Janarion Grant was listed as questionable to play after being limited in practice with a hand issue, something worth monitoring going into Thursday’s game.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens officially ruled out two starters, but they should have the rest of their 53-man roster available for Sunday’s season opener against Buffalo.

As expected, tight end Hayden Hurst (foot) and defensive tackle Willie Henry (hernia surgery) will not play against the Bills as they continue recovering from multi-week ailments, but cornerback Maurice Canady (thigh) and rookie inside linebacker Kenny Young (knee) are expected to suit up after practicing all week. Both were officially listed as questionable.

Canady participated in practices on a limited basis this week after being sidelined with a hamstring injury since mid-August. His return to the field is an important development as he will be the top reserve corner behind outside starters Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Carr and nickel back Tavon Young while Jimmy Smith serves his four-game suspension in September.

“Maurice is a very valuable player. I’m excited about him,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “He looks good in practice, so it looks like he’ll be out there. I haven’t gotten the OK on that finally from the trainer, but that’s my diagnosis. I’m planning on having him unless something changes between now and then. He can play inside. He can play outside. He can play special teams. He’s a good player. It’s good to have him back.”

The Bills are also in good shape from a health standpoint as no projected starters appeared on the injury report this week.

According to Weather.com, the Sunday forecast in Baltimore calls for temperatures in the mid-60s with a 100-percent chance of rain and winds 10 to 20 miles per hour. Rainfall could near an inch, which could make for an interesting afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.

Friday marked the 10th anniversary of Harbaugh and Joe Flacco’s first Ravens win in a 17-10 final over Cincinnati to kick off the 2008 season. The victory would be the start of a surprising 11-5 campaign that would land the first-year head coach and rookie quarterback in the AFC championship game.

“It feels like yesterday. It’s crazy how quickly [time goes by],” Flacco said. “You look back at the days, and they go along just like everybody says. But man, it’s been really, really quick, and we’ve changed a lot.”

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With the start of the regular season less than two weeks away, the Ravens welcomed back two key members of their offensive line for Monday’s practice.

Starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley and the versatile James Hurst were taking part in the portion of practice open to media one week after suffering minor injuries in the preseason win at Indianapolis. Both sat out Saturday’s preseason contest at Miami, but head coach John Harbaugh said last week that their availability for the season opener wouldn’t be in doubt.

“It’s great to get healthy on the offensive line,” Harbaugh said. “It’s great to see those guys out there practicing. Just as I mentioned last week, they were short-term-type injuries, and that’s fortunately what they turned out to be.”

Stanley, Hurst, and six-time Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda — who hasn’t played in the preseason after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery — are unlikely to play in Thursday’s preseason finale against Washington, but rookie Greg Senat was the only offensive lineman on the 90-man roster not practicing on Monday. The sixth-round offensive tackle from Wagner exited the first half of Saturday’s game with a foot injury and didn’t return, leaving his roster status for the regular season in question.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The question has been asked over and over and is again relevant with Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith being suspended for the first four games of the 2018 season.

The circumstances are different since this isn’t a season-ending injury nor a team operating with a small margin for error late in the year, but the doubts remain.

How will the Ravens defense deal without the presence of its top cornerback?

If history is any indication, not well.

In 2014, the Ravens made the playoffs despite Smith missing the second half of the year with a Lisfranc injury, but their season came to an end as Tom Brady picked apart a helpless Rashaan Melvin and New England erased two 14-point leads to prevail in the divisional round. In reality, it was remarkable the Ravens had even gotten that far after cycling through the likes of Asa Jackson, Chykie Brown, Danny Gorrer, and Dominique Franks in the secondary, but they’ll always wonder what could have been had Smith not been injured.

Two years ago, Baltimore entered its Week 14 contest with the Patriots ranked first in total defense, tied for second in scoring defense, seventh in pass defense, and 11th in red-zone defense. A high ankle sprain sidelined Smith early in that game and for the remainder of the season as the Ravens would finish seventh in total defense, ninth in scoring defense, ninth in pass defense, and 18th in red-zone defense. More painful than those numbers, however, was Antonio Brown extending the ball over the goal line in the final seconds in Pittsburgh on Christmas Day, ending the Ravens’ playoff hopes in the process.

After Smith’s season-ending Achilles tendon tear last December, the Ravens slipped from seventh to 12th in total defense, second to sixth in scoring defense, second to 10th in pass defense, and fifth to 11th in red-zone defense. And, of course, Andy Dalton to Tyler Boyd on fourth-and-12 earned a painful place in Baltimore football lore as the Ravens missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

There are too many other variables at work to place all blame on one player’s absence, but there is too large a sample of advanced stats, conventional numbers, and anecdotal evidence that brings you to the same conclusion.

The Ravens defense hasn’t been the same without Smith, but will it be different this time around?

“I don’t think you can just look at it that way with Jimmy because there were other guys that were out during that time,” said first-year defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, specifically referencing the 2017 season. “I think that the toolbox is full. It’s full with our players and our depth, and it’s full with our coverages that we can go to if someone is struggling. I don’t see that in the very near future, but we have those things we can go to with that.”

Martindale makes a fair point as promising nickel cornerback Tavon Young missed all of last season with a torn ACL sustained in the spring. It’s also fair to note after going 2-5 in games in which Smith missed significant action in 2016, the Ravens improved to 4-2 in that department last year with those losses coming in heartbreaking fashion at Pittsburgh in Week 14 and to the Bengals in the season finale.

In Smith’s absence to begin the season, the projected top threesome of Brandon Carr, Marlon Humphrey, and Young definitely looks better on paper than Lardarius Webb, Melvin, and Anthony Levine in 2014 or Young, Shareece Wright, and Jerraud Powers down the stretch two seasons ago.

The defense still wilted last December with Carr and Humphrey at the outside spots and Maurice Canady playing the nickel, but the Ravens will hope the 32-year-old Carr defies Father Time for another season, Young provides an upgrade in the slot, and Humphrey takes another step or two forward after his impressive rookie season. Opponents’ 53.5 passer rating when targeting the 2017 first-round pick ranked second among NFL rookie cornerbacks behind New Orleans’ Marshon Lattimore (45.3), who was voted the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The 6-foot, 197-pound Humphrey looking like a No. 1 cornerback would certainly enhance Baltimore’s chances in September road contests against A.J. Green and Cincinnati in Week 2 and Antonio Brown and Pittsburgh in Week 4. It would also improve the secondary’s long-term outlook as the organization will weigh what to do with Smith and his $15.85 million salary cap number for 2019 after the season. Humphrey’s draft status, size, and ability in press coverage make it no secret the Ravens envision him taking the mantle from Smith sooner or later with the latter’s off-field problems and injury history likely accelerating that transition.

Beyond the top three, the Ravens hope the versatility of Canady — who’s practiced more as an outside corner this summer — and the upside of fourth-round rookie Anthony Averett will provide quality reinforcements if an injury or two occurs before Smith is eligible to return in October. And there’s always the possibility of general manager Ozzie Newsome revisiting interest in free agent Bashaud Breeland or scouring the market for another veteran cornerback.

The spotlight will be on Baltimore’s corners, but survival without Smith is truly a team effort as the front seven will need to create more pressure in the pocket and stop the run effectively to account for any adjustments needing to be made in the back end of the defense. Unlike previous years, the Ravens will have the benefit of more time to regroup if the secondary struggles to find its footing, but dropping a division road game or two — even in September — could leave a difficult path the rest of the way.

“We have a lot of depth. Some guys are just going to have to step up early,” said Martindale, who will put his schematic fingerprints on the matter after replacing former defensive coordinator Dean Pees. “We’re still working on that and how we’re going to do that. I’m not going to sit and say for the rest of the league, and especially for Buffalo and the next three games, on how we’ll do it.

“They’ll just have to see. We have plenty of players that can play.”

Talking about depth is always preferable to having to use it. Only then do you really find out whether it’s quality or overhyped inventory.

It’s an all-too-familiar and uncomfortable position, but the Ravens hope to have the right answer this time.

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